Emergency Plans

Make a Plan
A family emergency plan will help you and your family know what to do in case of an emergency. Every Canadian household needs an emergency plan. It will take you about 20 minutes to complete your personalized plan online.

Things to Think About
Before starting your home emergency plan, you will need to think about:

You may be instructed to "shelter-in-place" if chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants are released into the environment. This means you must remain inside your home or office and protect yourself there.

Take Steps to Maximize Protection
The following steps will help maximize your protection:

Close and lock all windows and exterior doors.

Close the fireplace damper.

Continue to monitor your radio or television until you are told all is safe or are advised to evacuate.

Get your emergency kit and make sure the radio is working.

Go to an interior room that is above ground level (if possible, one without windows).

In the case of a chemical threat, an above-ground location is preferable because some chemicals are heavier than air and may seep into basements even if the windows are closed.

Turn off all fans, heating, and air-conditioning systems to avoid drawing in air from the outside.

Using duct or other wide tape, seal all cracks around the door and any vents into the room.